0000000000039886
AUTHOR
Nial Peters
Characterisation of the magmatic signature in gas emissions from Turrialba Volcano, Costa Rica
The equilibrium composition of volcanic gases with their magma is often overprinted by interaction with a shallow hydrothermal system. Identifying the magmatic signature of volcanic gases is critical to relate their composition to properties of the magma (temperature, fO2, gas-melt segregation depth). We report measurements of the chemical composition and flux of the major gas species emitted from Turrialba Volcano during March 2013. Measurements were made of two vents in the summit region, one of which opened in 2010 and the other in 2012. We determined an average SO2 flux of 5.2 ± 1.9 kg s-1 using scanning ultraviolet spectroscopy, and molar proportions of H2O, CO2, SO2, HCl, CO and H2 ga…
Sustaining persistent lava lakes: Observations from high-resolution gas measurements at Villarrica volcano, Chile
International audience; Active lava lakes – as the exposed upper part of magmatic columns – are prime locations to investigate the conduit flow processes operating at active, degassing volcanoes. Persistent lava lakes require a constant influx of heat to sustain a molten state at the Earth's surface. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain how such heat transfer can operate efficiently. These models make contrasting predictions with respect to the flow dynamics in volcanic conduits and should result in dissimilar volatile emissions at the surface. Here we look at high-frequency SO2 fluxes, plume composition, thermal emissions and aerial video footage from the Villarrica lava lake i…
First in-situ measurements of plume chemistry at mount garet volcano, island of gaua (Vanuatu)
Recent volcanic gas compilations have urged the need to expand in-situ plume measurements to poorly studied, remote volcanic regions. Despite being recognized as one of the main volcanic epicenters on the planet, the Vanuatu arc remains poorly characterized for its subaerial emissions and their chemical imprints. Here, we report on the first plume chemistry data for Mount Garet, on the island of Gaua, one of the few persistent volatile emitters along the Vanuatu arc. Data were collected with a multi-component gas analyzer system (multi-GAS) during a field campaign in December 2018. The average volcanic gas chemistry is characterized by mean molar CO2/SO2, H2O/SO2, H2S/SO2 and H2/SO2 ratios …
Unrest at the Nevados de Chillán volcanic complex: a failed or yet to unfold magmatic eruption?
Resuming erupting activity at volcanoes that have been long quiescent poses a significant challenge to hazard assessment, as it require assessment of whether the change in activity is an isolated event or the beginning of a new eruptive sequence. Such inception is often poorly characterised as quiescent volcanoes tend to be poorly equipped and not extensively monitored, especially with respect to gas geochemistry. Here, we report gas composition and flux measurements from a newly opened vent at the very onset of eruptive activity at the Nevados de Chillán volcanic complex (Chile) in January-February 2016. The molar proportions of H2O, CO2, SO2, H2S and H2 gases are found to be 98.4, 0.97, 0…
Volcanic gas emissions and degassing dynamics at Ubinas and Sabancaya volcanoes; implications for the volatile budget of the central volcanic zone
Abstract Emission of volcanic gas is thought to be the dominant process by which volatiles transit from the deep earth to the atmosphere. Volcanic gas emissions, remain poorly constrained, and volcanoes of Peru are entirely absent from the current global dataset. In Peru, Sabancaya and Ubinas volcanoes are by far the largest sources of volcanic gas. Here, we report the first measurements of the compositions and fluxes of volcanic gases emitted from these volcanoes. The measurements were acquired in November 2015. We determined an average SO 2 flux of 15.3 ± 2.3 kg s − 1 (1325-ton day − 1 ) at Sabancaya and of 11.4 ± 3.9 kg s − 1 (988-ton day − 1 ) at Ubinas using scanning ultraviolet spectr…
A CO2-gas precursor to the March 2015 Villarrica volcano eruption
We present here the first volcanic gas compositional time-series taken prior to a paroxysmal eruption of Villarrica volcano (Chile). Our gas plume observations were obtained using a fully autonomous Multi-component Gas Analyser System (Multi-GAS) in the 3 month-long phase of escalating volcanic activity that culminated into the 3 March 2015 paroxysm, the largest since 1985. Our results demonstrate a temporal evolution of volcanic plume composition, from low CO$_2$/SO$_2$ ratios (0.65-2.7) during November 2014-January 2015 to CO$_2$/SO$_2$ ratios up to ≈ 9 then after. The H$_2$O/CO$_2$ ratio simultaneously declined to <38 in the same temporal interval. We use results of volatile saturatio…
Magmatic gas percolation through the old lava dome of El Misti volcano
International audience; The proximity of the major city of Arequipa to El Misti has focused attention on the hazards posed by the active volcano. Since its last major eruption in the fifteenth century, El Misti has experienced a series of modest phreatic eruptions and fluctuating fumarolic activity. Here, we present the first measurements of the compositions of gas emitted from the lava dome in the summit crater. The gas composition is found to be fairly dry with a H2O/SO2 molar ratio of 32 ± 3, a CO2/SO2 molar ratio of 2.7 ± 0.2, a H2S/SO2 molar ratio of 0.23 ± 0.02 and a H2/SO2 molar ratio of 0.012 ± 0.002. This magmatic gas signature with minimal evidence of hydrothermal or wall rock int…
Isotopically (δ13C and δ18O) heavy volcanic plumes from Central Andean volcanoes: a field study
International audience; Stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen in volcanic gases are key tracers of volatile transfer between Earth's interior and atmosphere. Although important, these data are available for few volcanoes because they have traditionally been difficult to obtain and are usually measured on gas samples collected from fumaroles. We present new field measurements of bulk plume composition and stable isotopes (δ13CCO2 and δ18OH2O+CO2) carried out at three northern Chilean volcanoes using MultiGAS and isotope ratio infrared spectroscopy. Carbon and oxygen in magmatic gas plumes of Lastarria and Isluga volcanoes have δ13C in CO2 of +0.76‰ to +0.77‰ (VPDB), similar to slab carbonate;…
The impact of degassing on the oxidation state of basaltic magmas: A case study of Kīlauea volcano
Volcanic emissions link the oxidation state of the Earth's mantle to the composition of the atmosphere. Whether the oxidation state of an ascending magma follows a redox buffer – hence preserving mantle conditions – or deviates as a consequence of degassing remains under debate. Thus, further progress is required before erupted basalts can be used to infer the redox state of the upper mantle or the composition of their co-emitted gases to the atmosphere. Here we present the results of X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy at the iron K-edge carried out for a series of melt inclusions and matrix glasses from ejecta associated with three eruptions of Kīlauea volcano (Hawai…